Carrigeen has plenty going for her

THE father and daugher team of Dick and Liz Lalor can combine to take the Ashbourne Mares’ Chase with Carrigeen Kalmia at the final stage of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival this afternoon.

The duo were on the mark with half-brother, Carrigeeen King, at Cork on Sunday and the selection now has plenty going for her.

A course and distance winner, Carrigeen Kalmia has the best of the weights and will find this a lot easier compared to some of the tests she has recently faced.

The ten-year-old’s latest appearance was in a competitive handicap at Leopardstown in early March.

She was only a pound off top weight that day and was far from disgraced in taking seventh behind Island Life.

A more than useful sort when on song, who often makes the running, Carrigeen Kalmia is fancied to run a big race.

There may be 25 set to face the starter in the Ballyhack Maiden Hurdle, but it seems safe to put a line through most of them.

Dermot Weld’s New Phase is easily the best horse in the contest and, hopefully, the market will speak in his favour.

Successful in a Punchestown bumper and on the flat at Gowran Park, he hasn’t been seen since finishing nine lengths runner-up behind Head Of The River on his debut over flights at Gowran back in October.

Dessie Hughes’ twice-raced Whispering Hills could be the safest wager in the Dunshaughlin Bumper.

Third first time up at Leopardstown, he was then flattered to get within a short head of the tenderly handled Universal Truth at Punchestown. Universal Truth, however, has since won again at Leopardstown and Limerick.